Gov’t collecting GH¢2 per litre in fuel levies, not GH¢1 – Energy analyst alleges
Energy analyst, Kwadwo Poku, has accused the government of misleading the public about the true cost of the recently approved petroleum levy.
According to Mr Opoku, the actual amount consumers are paying is nearly GH¢2 per litre, not the GH¢1 officially announced.
He explained that when existing petroleum-related charges are combined with the new levy, the total taxes on fuel amount to GH¢1.95 per litre of petrol and GH¢1.93 per litre of diesel.
“The government is not collecting GH¢1, it’s closer to GH¢2, according to the budget, there was already a 95 pesewa charge in place. With the new addition, the total tax now stands at GH¢1.95 on petrol and GH¢1.93 on diesel,” he stated.
He warned that this increase could generate over a billion Ghana cedis annually in fuel tax revenue for the government, significantly adding to the financial pressure on consumers.
“You want Ghanaians to pay an extra GH¢1 billion a year in fuel taxes, at a time when we’re already facing steep electricity bills and rising living costs,” he lamented.
Mr. Poku also criticised the Ministry of Finance, accusing it of poor fiscal planning and unrealistic assumptions in the national budget.
He cited the government’s reliance on an exchange rate of GH¢15.40 to the dollar in its revenue projections as a major flaw.
He further questioned the use of a Certificate of Urgency to fast-track the levy through Parliament, arguing that it was a political manoeuvre rather than a genuine effort to support the energy sector.
“This has nothing to do with the energy sector. It’s just another tax disguised as energy policy. We shouldn’t allow this to be framed as an energy-sector intervention,” he asserted.
The new levy, passed as part of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill 2025, has drawn widespread criticism from industry experts, civil society organisations, and the general public, many of whom are already grappling with rising inflation, fuel costs, and utility tariffs.